April 1, 2026 – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin is co-leading a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general in sending a letter to congressional leadership to address the ever-growing opioid crisis in America.

The letter urges Congress to pass the Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act, which addresses a growing development in the country’s opioid crisis.

Adding Xylazine to an already deadly drug like fentanyl has increased the number of fatal overdoses. A hallmark of Xylazine use is the development of skin ulcers, abscesses, and necrotic tissue that can appear anywhere on the body.

“The Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act would classify Xylazine as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act and provide resources to law enforcement to better protect communities and reduce opioid overdose deaths,” the letter read. “It will also continue to allow legitimate use of the drug by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers.

“This threat is real. Federal authorities are seeing xylazine trafficked into the United States by Mexican cartels, and it’s paired with fentanyl coming from China. Criminals and foreign adversaries are targeting Americans with this combination of drugs, and we need to do everything in our power to stop them.”

Griffin co-led the letter to Congress with the attorneys general of Connecticut, New York, and Tennessee. Joining them on the letter were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming, American Somoa, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

By Rowdy Baribeau, KATV 7
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